Magazine binder



April 1, 1941. L DAV@ 2,236,771

MAGAZINE "BINDER I F1191: Feb. 25, 1939 5m WM A Horney Patented Apr. 1,1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGAZINE BINDER v Leon Davio, WestSpringfield, Mass.

Application February 25, 1939, Serial No. 258,455

(Cl. L29- 38) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in binding means and isparticularly directed to the provision of a novel method of bindingmagazines and the like.

The principal objects of the invention are directed toward the provisionof an eicient binding apparatus which includes a single movable lockingmember. The construction is such that it is simple in form so as to beeasy to manipulate and economical to manufacture.

As special features, the magazine binder of this invention makes itdicult for one to use the magazine in an unauthorized manner but at thesame time it is eXtreme-1y easy for an authorized person to lock orunlock the magazines in place. As will appear, the apparatus of theinvention includes what I call a key member and this is intended to beretained by the authorized persons, as in a public library, to lock orunlock the magazines n place, and in this way the binding cannot beopened by mischievous readers.

It is a further object to'provide a binder means adapted to beassociated with a pair of hinged cover members so as to give to thebound magazines a book-like appearance. The arrangement is such thatmagazines which are kept available for use by the general public are notonly protected against wear but they are protected, insofar as possible,from being removed from the binders kept in the reading room.

Binders heretofore known which have for' their primary purposeprotection against theft have `been unsatisfactory either because themagazines are relatively easily removed by unauthorized persons orbecause they are removable by authorized persons only with greatdifculty. That is to say, they either do not properly perform theirtheft-preventing function or they render the job of replacing currentnumbers so diicult that the use of the binders is impracticable.

Various other novel features and advantages of the invention willhereinafter more fully appear in the following description of thepresent preferred form thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a binder of the invention associated with acover member and a. magazine, the latter being partially broken away soas to facilitate the understanding of the construction;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of what I call a bracket member which formsa part of the device of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another form of bracket member;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of what I call a key y member;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one form of locking member; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of still another form of bracket member. l

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be fullydescribed. Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in eachof the several views.

The binder includes a body member A, which, while it is preferably madeof Wood for its cheapness and rigidity, may be made of variousmaterials. This member A is channel-shaped throughout its length and ithas secured to its outer side a cover member 2 which may be made of anydesired material, such as artificial leather, etc.

The cover member may be secured in place by gluing or any other desiredmeans and it has side parts hinged for swinging movements relative tothe member A. A magazine o-r the like is to be disposed between thecover leaves as shown in Fig. 1.

Secured to the member A at opposite ends thereof and within the channelare bracket members. As will appear, these brackets may vary in formsbut preferably at least one of them is somewhat as shown at F in Fig. 5.

This said one bracket member will include an attaching part 3 having ahole or holes for receiving screws or the like for extendingtherethrough and into the member A. There are also a pair of spacedparts 4 and 6 disposedsubstantially at right angles to part 3.

In the form sho-wn, member F is formed of a strip of metal bent to havethe part 4 extending upwardly from the outer end of horizontal part 3, aconnecting part 5 bent inwardly from the upper end of part 4, and theother vertical part 6 extending downwardly from the inner end of part 5.It will be understood that the bracket need not necessarily be formed of-a 'unitary strip.

In any event, the inner part 6 is slotted as at 1b. This slot isvertical and relatively narrow so as to bemore or less restricted for apurpose which will presently appear.

There may be various modifications of the bracket to be 'secured to theopposite end of the member A but I. will now describe that shown in Fig.4. This member B is shown formed of a single strip of metal. after the-manner of the member F and has an attaching part 3, vertical parts 4and 6, and connecting part 5.

Here, however, the inner part 6 is formed to have a slot 'la having arelatively unrestricted portion. That is to say, it is a continuous slothaving a lower relatively enlarged part and an upper relatively narrowpart, for a purpose which will also later appear.

It is desired to here point out` that the sl-o-t 1a may 'take variousshapes. In other words, lt may have the conventional key-hole shapeshown or it may be triangular-shaped with the apex of the triangle atthe top so as to be relatively wide at the bottom and narrow at the top.Obviously, too, an oval or even a circular-shaped hole will have arelatively narrow part disposed above, and continuous with, an enlargedpart.

A relatively thin and flat elongated bar forming the lock member D ofspring-like metal is provided and this is adapted to have its oppositeends received in slots 'la and 1b. In binding the magazine, its boundedge is -inserted in the channel between .the brackets B and F andopened so that the bar D may extend lengthwise between a pair of itsleaves. A

The bar D is of a length slightly less than the distance between theparts 4 `of the 'spaced brackets which are disposed with their slottedparts 6 facing one another, Vall as shown in Fig. 2.

Thus, once the lock member is in place, its longitudinal movements arerestricted by abutment of its ends with sai-d parts 4.

One end of the bar D is first inserted in the restricted slot 1b and thebar is then bowed intermediate its ends. While bowed, the opposite endof the bar is twisted more or less and bent downwardly so as to bereceivable in the enlarged or lower part of the slot 1a,

Then, when the bar is allowed to unbcw and released, its spring-likenature together with the vertical slot 'Ib causes it `to assume a trulystraight and vertical `position and its said opposite end becomesengaged in the more restricted or upper part of the slot 'la which is inyalignment with the slot lb.

In other words, the said opposite end of the bar D may rotate while inthe lower part of the slot 'la but is not free to do so when in lockingposition at the top of the slot. Thus, when it is `desired to unlock thebinding, it is necessary to press the upper end of the bar downwardly,rotate it in some manner while bowing it outwardly, and then remove theend entirely from the slot la.

I have found that it is practically impossible to insert, or removefrom, between the leaves the lock bar D without what I call a keymember. The preferred form of this key is designated by E in Fig. 6.

It consists primarily of an elongated, relatively thin strip of rigidmaterial such as steel having a transverse slot 8 in its end and anopening 9 in its body to provide a linger-engaging part. This slot ispurposely just slightly wider than the width of the lbar D and the lipsformed by the slotting are adapted to engage the bar.

.When removing the bar from the brackets, one pushes downwardly with onehand on that end of the bar which is disposed in slot 'la and by meansof the key, held in the other hand, engages the central part of the bar.It is thereby possible to rotate the bar and at the same time bow it sothat the bar is readily removed from the slots.

When inserting the bar, the key is caused to engage lthe bar adjacentits upper end and the other hand may be used to help the bowing of thesame. The urging of the key and bar downwardly and inwardly into theslot 'la and then release of the same will result in the barslengthening out and becoming locked in the slots.

In Fig, '7, I have shown a modified form of bar. Here designated as D',it is essentially the same in construction as bar D but it has notchesI2 extending inwardly from one longitudinal edge adjacent its oppositeends.

These notches may be of any desired shape and are adapted to engage themarginal edges of the slots into which the bars ends are inserted. InFig. 8, there is shown a modified form of bracket B having attachingpart 3, vertical parts 4 and 6, and connecting part 5 with a slot 'Ic ofthe same type as the slot 1a.

That is to say, it has a relatively large lower part and a relativelyrestricted upper part. Here, however, its upper marginal edge I4terminates at a distance from the upper side of the part 6 so as to`provide a tongue-like portion therebetween for reception in the notchI2. This serves to provide more positive and efcient locking.

It will be understood that the slots in both brackets may be similar toslot la. That is, each may have a-n enlarged lower part and a relativelynarrow upper part.

According to this form, the bar D is bowed and :inserted flat-wise,rotated, and then allowed to spring up into vertical locking position.

While I have described the invention in great detail `and with respectto the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limitedtheret0 since changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention maybe embodied :in other specific forms without departing from theessential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are thereforeto be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive,the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim ratherthan by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within themeaning and range of equivalency of the claim are therefore intended tobe embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

The combination with a magazine or the like of a certain length andthickness of a lock-binder therefor comprising, a unitarylongitudinally-extending channel-shaped supporting member formed ofrigid material to have a horizontal bottom wall and vertical side wallsextending upwardly from opposite sides of said bottom wall substantiallythroughout its length and integral therewith, said side walls bein-gspaced apart a distance `only slightly greater than the thickness of themagazine, a pair of spaced brackets secured to the upper surface of saidbottom wall adjacent opposite ends thereof, each of said bracketsincluding spaced vertical inner and euter plate-like parts vextendingtransversely between said side walls, said outer parts being substantially imperforate and equal to the distance between said side wallsso as to prevent endwise access in horizontal planes to the channel,said inner parts being spaced from one another a distance only slightlygreater than said length of the magazine and each of them being providedwitli a verticaily-extending lclosed slot which is greater in heightthan Width, one only of said slots being formed to have its 'lowerportion of greater width than its upper portion, and e et strip memberof spring-like metall of greater length than seid distance between-saiid inner parts of the brackets having its opposite end p0rtionsextending through the upper portions of said sllolt-s and itsintermediate portion `disposed between -a'djlaicenlt leaNes of themagazine with its longitudinal side edges extending in the sameventi'oal plane with one another, the pants of said strip member whichame 4disposed in said sllot's 10

